Chapter 423. Showdown
An hour later, Reinhard finally saw his best friend coming down from the rooftop, holding the hand of the Great Spirit.
He hadn't pried into what happened during that interval and thus remained entirely ignorant of the details. However, it was plain to see that Hikigaya Hachiman's face, ears, and even his neck were flushed a vivid, embarrassed red. His entire expression radiated intense shame, as if he had just endured a grueling ordeal.
Yet, beneath the embarrassment and mental exhaustion, it was also clear that he was actually somewhat happy.
Beatrice held her head high, brimming with energy. After pestering her contractor for over half an hour, he had finally agreed to perform a "ceremony." Although the content was slightly different—modified to fit the current reality—Beatrice was already very satisfied.
Only by completing this ritual could she fully step into a brand-new future. It allowed her to thoroughly dissolve the lingering, faint estrangement between her and Hachiman, becoming a duo truly connected in heart and soul in the present.
For Hikigaya Hachiman, this had started as an awkward performance filled with shame and wooden delivery. Fortunately, no third party had witnessed it.
However, after enduring the shame and droning through his lines, seeing the joy and excitement radiating from Beatrice caused his mindset to shift... This was a vital first step. Only if he took this step could Beatrice truly be free. If that were the case, he would do it.
He did it, and he savored the sweetness of it.
"Now then," Roswaal said, appearing as impatient as Beatrice had been an hour ago. Having already signed the contract, his eyes flashed with murderous intent. "Can the strongest Sword Saint of all generations forcibly break into the Witches' Tea Party?"
"I can. By combining and layering seven different Divine Protections to produce the precise effect needed, I can bring all of you inside."
With Reinhard's firm assurance, the four individuals—sharing a common murderous intent—headed together toward the Sanctuary. Upon entering, Garfiel, who had been waiting for a long time with his shark-like teeth bared, naturally joined the group.
"Ah, General! I really loved the part where you pitted those greedy merchants against each other!"
"Right, right! My memories of sparring with that purple-haired guy and the old man have become really clear thanks to my hard work! My skills have definitely improved! With me on guard, you can rest easy, General!
And another thing—wow, the way you rejected that stuck-up Yukinoshita was so clean and decisive! Truly my General, you're just incredible!
Alright, it's decided! I'm gonna reject that Mimi just as decisively! I gotta learn from the General!
And one more thing—gaah, ow! What was that for?! Even if you're the General's contracted spirit, you can't just hit me for no reason! It'd be one thing if it were the General or Granny!"
The rambling Garfiel was smacked by Beatrice, looking incredibly aggrieved.
Beatrice huffed and tilted her head, not bothering to explain.
She had already heard from Hachiman: because of the kiss and the promise they shared, he would rather be a "coward" and cruelly abandon all the girls here who loved him.
In front of a Hachiman who had made such a decision, praising how "decisive" and "incredible" he was for rejecting Yukino was like rubbing salt in a wound.
The simple-minded Garfiel was a fool, but because he was a fool, he was all the more fiercely loyal and single-minded. He didn't waste time on philosophical musings about the present versus the future.
To him, one thing was certain: the General was the General. Hikigaya Hachiman was his General, the person he was closest to and could talk to about anything—someone who held the same status as Granny Shima.
Hachiman could see exactly what kind of person he was, so naturally, he didn't take the unintentional blunder to heart. He interrupted the staring contest between Beatrice and Garfiel with a single sentence: "Get ready. It's starting."
The next second, through Reinhard's ingenious use of his seven Divine Protections, the Tomb was forced open. The five of them invaded the Tea Party.
"My, my—welcome~ It truly has been a long time, Beatrice. And my dear apprentice. Along with the most famous representatives of the pen and the sword of this era... Oh, what an absolute honor~"
"You... blegh!"
Being ignored, Garfiel bared his teeth, wanting to give Echidna a beating. However, just as Echidna had said, a normal person would feel nauseated just looking at her. Garfiel was forced to close his eyes, clicking his tongue in frustration.
"To try and provoke me with such a nauseatingly forced nickname... you've certainly succeeded, you fraud." Roswaal stared at her with pure hatred.
"Wearing Teacher's face, using Teacher's voice... you shameless fake. Have you thought about how you want to die?"
Echidna smiled sweetly. "Oh dear, I shouldn't be able to die, should I? I can lead you to that bitch Pandora, you know?"
This was like a bucket of cold water being poured over them. With this bargaining chip in hand, she teased Roswaal without restraint.
If one were to ask who Hikigaya Hachiman and Reinhard feared most in this world, Pandora undoubtedly held a spot.
Everyone else had been brought to justice, yet Pandora hadn't even been exposed in the "future" footage. Aside from appearing over a hundred years ago, no one knew where she was now, what she was planning, what she had already done, or the specifics of her Authority.
No one knew.
However...
"After you lead the way, you still have to die."
Echidna was a four-hundred-year-old monster; playing mind games was useless against her. Hikigaya Hachiman went straight to a showdown.
"But I don't want to die?" Echidna smiled predictably. "A brand-new world, new knowledge, a new future... so many fresh things, so many unknowns are waiting for me. I don't want to die at all. Oh, can we reconcile?"
"Before that," Hikigaya Hachiman raised a finger, "you can try provoking Beatrice and Roswaal one more time."
He and Echidna narrowed their eyes at each other.
The meaning was simple: if Echidna wanted to live, she had to adopt the attitude of a prisoner. She was not allowed to trigger those two again.
The standoff lasted less than two seconds before Echidna immediately dropped her fabricated "good teacher, good mother" persona and tone.
To explore the unknown, she would do anything.
On the surface, she seemed to have a firm resolve, willing to give everything for her dream. In reality, she was a disgustingly hypocritical entity.
Watching this Echidna change faces throughout the process, Beatrice turned pale. She gritted her teeth, shattering the last of the illusions in her heart.
Against Echidna, one could not use schemes. Hikigaya Hachiman rejected the idea flatly, putting his bottom line on the table: "In this world, there are only two people I am truly worried about."
"That is you, Echidna, and Pandora. Even the Archbishops of Gluttony cannot compare to you two. If you both die, this world's crises, wars, and tragedies will be reduced by at least half.
Both of you must die!"